But you can't keep accepting mediocrity year after year after year. Even if a nice coach is doing all he can with the players he has, if that keeps resulting in missing the playoffs, then you have to see if some other coach can get them there, even if you don't know if it's possible. You can't just keep saying "good job" at 7-9.
Do the Dolphins have amazing talent? No, but look at what they did. And Jauron isn't doing the best he could be, anyway. Browns and 49ers at home? Swept by Jets and Dolphins? We could be doing better.
Against the poor teams we did beat (and should beat - we're not the least talented team in the league) and the good teams that beat us, this season was a showcase of poor coaching. Player underperformance was there, too, in high quantity. But it was not a good year for the staff. (Save Bobby April, he is glorious)

As we prepare to watch the NFC and AFC championship games on Sunday, I had a thought this week. Like any young aspiring writer, I scribbled it down on Tuesday. It was just a thought at the time, but I believe now is the time to talk about it.

I think the Tampa 2 defense is being phased out of the NFL.

Think about it. More important, think about it as you watch the championship games on Sunday between bowls of Texas chili and cold bottles of Miller High Life. There will be no Tampa 2, no undersized linebackers dropping to a spot and no safeties playing close to 20 yards off the line of scrimmage. No rushing the passer with your front four on third downs and playing coverage behind it, and no middle linebacker running down the middle of the field trying to keep up with a slot receiver who runs a 4.3 in the 40.

Instead, we will watch Pittsburgh (the No. 1 unit in total defense), Baltimore (No. 2 in total defense), Philadelphia (No. 3 in total defense) and Arizona (maybe the most surprising defense in the playoffs). All four of these defenses play with pressure in mind — zone blitzes, man coverage blitzes and even zero coverage blitzes. They don’t sit back and react. They don’t have a “top” to their defense so that nobody can get behind them. They don’t wait — they attack.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the new defense in the NFL. Look, everyone in this league copies the best teams, and if you’re in the final four of the NFL playoffs, you are one of the best teams. Think about the teams who run the Tampa 2 scheme as their No. 1 call: Chicago, Minnesota, Buffalo, Tampa, Indianapolis and Detroit. Where are they now? At home, watching these four defenses go after quarterbacks, challenge receivers and create turnovers — instead of waiting for them to fall in their laps because of a bad decision by the quarterback.

Plus, Detroit just hired Jim Schwartz from the Tennessee Titans as their new head coach. Last time I checked, the Titans’ defense went after people, so you can forget about playing Tampa 2 in Detroit. In fact, you may never see it again.

My point is that the NFL is cyclical. It changes, it morphs into the “new rage,” and right now, that rage is blitz-happy defenses with corners who can play man to man and get in the face of highly paid wide receivers. They dictate not only the tone of the game, but they alter the game plans of opposing offenses. They tell the offense what they can and can’t do with their pressure.

This is how football generally works. It’s the same in the college game. Gone are the days of Jamel Halloway and the wishbone triple option attack at Oklahoma, and the days of Tommie Frazier at Nebraska. The University of Miami became great because they recruited defensive players who could run sideline to sideline and stop the triple option. Now it’s the “spread offense” and Tim Tebow. Everyone sets up in the shotgun and slings it all over the field. You now need to recruit quarterbacks who can throw and run, or defensive backs who can cover five-receiver sets. Football changes and so do the schemes that teams run.

For that reason, I see the end of the Tampa 2 in the near future. Sure, every team will run Cover 2 from time to time, but the days of it becoming the lead call in this league are short. Offenses have figured out ways to beat it. The seven-man run front it provides can be carved up by an athletic offensive line and a strong running game, and quarterbacks like Kurt Warner can eat it up with basic routes that expose the holes it allows.

Detroit will be the first team to throw it in the garbage, and soon, others will follow. Monte Kiffin is leaving the Bucs to challenge the SEC, Tony Dungy has retired and the rest of the coaches using the Tampa 2 might be searching for jobs if they don’t win next year.

Everything — even good things — come to an end in life, and now, in the NFL.

Matt Bowen, the writer, is a former Bill. He joined the team in 2006, when the Bills were implementing the Tampa-2, under Jauron and Fewell (who came from Chicago). The Bills have migrated from the Tampa-2 in 2006 because they did not have the personnel, to a Cover-2 in 2007 as their MLBs could not cover the larger zones and given those defenses miserable success against the Pats have again moved away from it to a standard 4-3.

Also the Tampa-2 and Cover-2 values speed and quickness and not stoutness. The Bills play December games where the elements come into play (see the last Pats game). Speed off the edge in those games are mitigated because in those games, teams pound the ball running.

Bowen was here, with the Bills, when they were running a Tampa-2 and that is Jauron's and Fewell's pedigree, he does include Buffalo on that list as being a Tampa-2 team. I believe they are migrating away from it as of 2008, and have made the efforts to move away from it. I believe the Bills are moving away from the Tampa-2 and Cover-2 being their base defense. Per what Bowen says above and because of what they did on the field this year, the personnel they acquired last offseason and the success of the Giants against the Pats juggernaut in the Super Bowl last year, it makes sense.

What the Giants, and what the Titans run is a standard 4-3. The Giants will use the blitz more but the Titans, who will play a lot of man-to-man and don't blitz as often, both rely on the front four to pressure the QB. The Bills used a base 4-3, but since they can't pressure with their front four they needed to back it up with a lot of nickle. Hence the Bills draft in 2008. They drafted three CBs. They drafted CBs while already having McGee, Greer, Youboty, and Will James on the roster, that plus Whitner can and plays the slot receiver on occasion. They want to move to man, and McKelvin has the traits to do so. The Bills just can't generate a pass rush from the front 4 and therefore need to play nickle to hold the fort.

Kawika is not a WLB in a Cover-2/Tampa-2, he is more stout then quick. He is much larger then what is required. Stroud is stout, can penetrate but the Bills do misuse him often by playing him on the nose straight on the guard. Spencer Johnson skill set allows him to line at DT and DE depending upon the personnel groupings. Furthermore, Ellis in the 3rd is a longer and larger DE and there were better rush OLBs who could play DE in the Tampa-2 still on the board (ie. Cliff Avril who went to the Lions). The Bills want their DEs to be athletic, heavy and long enough to attack the inside B and twist and stunt the A Gaps, not just rush the edge. They want their DEs to play the 1 alignment and control the B gap.

The Bills could still be using Cover-2 as their base, their personnel moves last year make little sense then. I don't believe they use it as their base, and they probably still have it in their package. But what Bowen states above, and I agree, is that the Tampa-2 Defense is dying, think of how the Patriots have manhandled the Bills in the past and the Colts since Dungy was there, that is also a compelling case for it to be already dead.

Hey Bills fans. Im working on a mock draft and am having trouble with your pick if both Orakpo and Brown are gone. Who would you for? What are your top needs and who would you draft in this scenario if trade downs are not an option?

Hey Bills fans. Im working on a mock draft and am having trouble with your pick if both Orakpo and Brown are gone. Who would you for? What are your top needs and who would you draft in this scenario if trade downs are not an option?

Who else is gone? That is a terrible scenario for us. Who is the best lineman available?

Matt Bowen, the writer, is a former Bill. He joined the team in 2006, when the Bills were implementing the Tampa-2, under Jauron and Fewell (who came from Chicago). The Bills have migrated from the Tampa-2 in 2006 because they did not have the personnel, to a Cover-2 in 2007 as their MLBs could not cover the larger zones and given those defenses miserable success against the Pats have again moved away from it to a standard 4-3.

Also the Tampa-2 and Cover-2 values speed and quickness and not stoutness. The Bills play December games where the elements come into play (see the last Pats game). Speed off the edge in those games are mitigated because in those games, teams pound the ball running.

Bowen was here, with the Bills, when they were running a Tampa-2 and that is Jauron's and Fewell's pedigree, he does include Buffalo on that list as being a Tampa-2 team. I believe they are migrating away from it as of 2008, and have made the efforts to move away from it. I believe the Bills are moving away from the Tampa-2 and Cover-2 being their base defense. Per what Bowen says above and because of what they did on the field this year, the personnel they acquired last offseason and the success of the Giants against the Pats juggernaut in the Super Bowl last year, it makes sense.

What the Giants, and what the Titans run is a standard 4-3. The Giants will use the blitz more but the Titans, who will play a lot of man-to-man and don't blitz as often, both rely on the front four to pressure the QB. The Bills used a base 4-3, but since they can't pressure with their front four they needed to back it up with a lot of nickle. Hence the Bills draft in 2008. They drafted three CBs. They drafted CBs while already having McGee, Greer, Youboty, and Will James on the roster, that plus Whitner can and plays the slot receiver on occasion. They want to move to man, and McKelvin has the traits to do so. The Bills just can't generate a pass rush from the front 4 and therefore need to play nickle to hold the fort.

Kawika is not a WLB in a Cover-2/Tampa-2, he is more stout then quick. He is much larger then what is required. Stroud is stout, can penetrate but the Bills do misuse him often by playing him on the nose straight on the guard. Spencer Johnson skill set allows him to line at DT and DE depending upon the personnel groupings. Furthermore, Ellis in the 3rd is a longer and larger DE and there were better rush OLBs who could play DE in the Tampa-2 still on the board (ie. Cliff Avril who went to the Lions). The Bills want their DEs to be athletic, heavy and long enough to attack the inside B and twist and stunt the A Gaps, not just rush the edge. They want their DEs to play the 1 alignment and control the B gap.

The Bills could still be using Cover-2 as their base, their personnel moves last year make little sense then. I don't believe they use it as their base, and they probably still have it in their package. But what Bowen states above, and I agree, is that the Tampa-2 Defense is dying, think of how the Patriots have manhandled the Bills in the past and the Colts since Dungy was there, that is also a compelling case for it to be already dead.

The Cover 2 defense is far from dead. Tennessee uses it a lot as does the teams you mentioned. As long as Jauron is our HC we will be staying with the Cover 2 defense although teams are starting to switch around a lot to confuse defenses. If the 3-4 is all that great what happened to the Cowboys and why did San Diego fall to 8-8 or the Browns fall from 10-6.
Your right that defenses come and go if they are not funamentally sound but the Cover 2 comes directly from the great Steeler teams of the 70's so its been around for a long time and stood the test. The 3-4 is also here to stay although it fittles with its schemes as well as does the basic 4-3. All these teams have packages utilizing the Cover 2 defense to confuse their opponents just as Cover 2 teams will blitz ocassionally to confuse their opponents.
What has become clear is that if you don't have the ideal personnel to run this defense, you can have serious problems but the same holds true for a 3-4 team and a basic 4-3 team. The teams that acquire the best personnel for their defense have more success than those teams who use a defense but lack the personnel to run it properly.
These 3 defenses are here to stay for some time although they are all adding wrinkles to confuse their opponents.

The Cover 2 defense is far from dead. Tennessee uses it a lot as does the teams you mentioned. As long as Jauron is our HC we will be staying with the Cover 2 defense although teams are starting to switch around a lot to confuse defenses. If the 3-4 is all that great what happened to the Cowboys and why did San Diego fall to 8-8 or the Browns fall from 10-6.
Your right that defenses come and go if they are not funamentally sound but the Cover 2 comes directly from the great Steeler teams of the 70's so its been around for a long time and stood the test. The 3-4 is also here to stay although it fittles with its schemes as well as does the basic 4-3. All these teams have packages utilizing the Cover 2 defense to confuse their opponents just as Cover 2 teams will blitz ocassionally to confuse their opponents.
What has become clear is that if you don't have the ideal personnel to run this defense, you can have serious problems but the same holds true for a 3-4 team and a basic 4-3 team. The teams that acquire the best personnel for their defense have more success than those teams who use a defense but lack the personnel to run it properly.
These 3 defenses are here to stay for some time although they are all adding wrinkles to confuse their opponents.

The C-2 is not dead, correct, but it is being used by fewer teams as a base package defense. That was the core point of the article and what I was saying. The C-2 truly is a terrible fit for the Bills, and based upon the personnel moves they made in 2008 I see that they have acknowledged it, especially with the defense they were running during the season. The C-2 encourages teams to run on you, if you can't generate a pass rush, and have lighter, quicker yet less stout players in your front 4 then teams will try to wash out your front and pound the ball. Buffalo suffered from all that in the past, they did not ever acquire the talent and furthermore they play in an environment where rushing the ball becomes a key for December games.

i have been seeing more and more mock draft having the bills choosing an OT at #11 this year. It got me to thinking and with the high number of quality OT's comming out this year (the two smith's, oher, and monroe, all of which are ranked in scott's top 11 players in the draft) i think it could be very beneficial for the bills to get rid of greedy Jason Peters. Jason is a big time talent and because of that we could trade him for another star such as Anquan Boldin who wants out of arizona, or any other talented player teams would be willing to give up for Peters. We could also trade him for draft picks, including a 2nd 1st round pick. At number 11 we would then draft the best remain OT that fits our system the best to replace Peters. I know having Peters at LT and which ever OT we draft at RT would be great but I have been impressed with langston walker since his arrival in buffalo and believe we have greater needs then upgrading walker who is solid. What do yall think?

__________________
"it won't change not one way how I play this week no matter what the fine is. You can't stop playing defense the way defense has always been created to play." - Ray Lewis after being fined $20,000 for hit on Hines Ward

i agree. I don't think we'll trade Peters but I can see us not resigning him when he's a FA.

Wouldn't it be a better idea to trade Peters before free agency, if we're just going to lose him anyway?

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottyboy
my lord...I cannot imagine such a world where I can mention Raymell Rice's thighs around a girl and not be the only one sexually aroused

Quote:

But for everyone reading this in Buffalo and Cleveland and everywhere else, take solace in the following: As crazy as it sounds, you're lucky. Your Mount Everest experience is still ahead of you. It's waiting, and it's glorious.- Bill Simmons

If the Bills win, Buffalo will get an extra 5,000 cans of soup for their local Feeding America food bank.

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottyboy
my lord...I cannot imagine such a world where I can mention Raymell Rice's thighs around a girl and not be the only one sexually aroused

Quote:

But for everyone reading this in Buffalo and Cleveland and everywhere else, take solace in the following: As crazy as it sounds, you're lucky. Your Mount Everest experience is still ahead of you. It's waiting, and it's glorious.- Bill Simmons

Kollar was a cool guy, I liked him and I'll sort of miss him. I wish him the best working with Super Mario and company. I'm good with Sanders taking over, though. We still have a lot of good pieces to our line. Schobel needs to come back in a big way, though.